From Solstheim with Love
by KyraKayden
Summary: The second installment in the Kyra Chapters: Almost a decade since her defeat of Alduin, almost a decade since leaving Skyrim behind. She thought she'd gotten away with her life, but will Fate catch up to her and her new life on the island of Solstheim? Will this be her final fight? Explicit content, as always I welcome reviews and comments, I only ask that you enjoy.
1. Seven years later

A roaring fire crackles in the fireplace. Its warm glow glints off a dusty scabbard hanging, as if carelessly tossed, on a hook. The scabbard was of the finest hand tooled black leather, with intricate patterns inlaid with Skyforged steel. Near the middle, still as bright as the day it was emblazened there, was the sigil of a Dragon breathing fire clutching arrows in its talons.

The light shines off of the Amulet of Talos tied around the scabbard near the hilt, the amulet's golden shine faded and unpolished. A lone mannequin sits on a pedestal near the fireplace, on it rests a faded and dust caked suit of pitch black armor. In its hand it clutches a shield bearing the same sigil, stamped into its metal frame. The tools of a long forgotten Hero, the Hero with the soul of a Dragon.

Chapter One- 14th of Rain's Hand, 4E 209

Kyra rolls onto her side and rubs her cheek on her pillow, pulling the blanket further up her bare shoulder. She lets her eyes drift closed as the doors to her bedroom swing open. The smell of cooking wafts its way in as soft steps approach her side of the big bed. Kyra opens one eye looking up at the little brunette who laughs when she sees she's faking.

Kyra growls playfully, grabs Sofie in both arms and hauls her into bed, the little girl squeeling in protest and laughing as Kyra tickles her. She sits up in bed stretching as Selena walks into their bedroom carrying a plate of food.

"Good morning my love." Selena leans down and kisses her softly as she crawls back into their bed. Kyra smiles resting her forehead against hers for a moment, before their lips meet again and Kyra picks up a piece of fruit.

"Sof, aren't you supposed to be at the Temple studying with Elder Othreloth?" Sofie looks up at Kyra.

"I don't like Othreloth."

"You don't like him because he won't let you go casting spells whenever you please."

"That's not true." Kyra gives her daughter a look as she chews.

"It is so, he wants you to study the texts and you'd rather be setting things on fire." Sofie crosses her arms and looks at Selena, who holds up her hands.

"I'm not defending you this time, even if you are my favorite kid." Selena smiles tussling the little girl's mane of silky brown hair. Kyra picks her up and sets her on her feet on the floor.

"Now go get dressed. I have to go see Cindiri Arano anyways so I'll walk with you to the Temple." Kyra rests back against Selena as Sofie leaves in a huff shutting their bedroom doors behind her. Selena wraps her arms around Kyra resting her lips in her soft black hair, the fingers of their hands interlacing resting on Kyra's abdomen.

"Can you believe she's almost nine?" Kyra sounds almost wistful as she picks another small piece of fruit from the plate and chews it looking at the door.

"She's growing like a weed. Can you believe you're almost thirty?" Selena asks as Kyra shakes her head from side to side without answering. Selena leans down and kisses the top of her head.

"Time does fly. What did Cindiri want to see you about?"

"I don't know she sent word last night, said to come first thing. I need to go see Glover as well about those new locks for the front doors. Anything you need while I'm out?" Kyra slides out of her embrace, ruffling her tossed and teased hair as she opens the wardrobe on her side of the bed. She could feel Selena eyeing her half naked body, she looks over her shoulder and smiles. Her blue eyes twinkling in the light of the candles illuminating their bedroom.

"I can think of something I need..." Kyra laughs as she moves a couple of dresses to one side of the wardrobe and retrieves another, a bright blue one, holding it up to her slender frame.

"You got plenty last night." She turns and gestures at it, Selena nods as Kyra pulls it over her head straightening it at the waist.

She flips her dark hair from the neckline and ties the little strings at her breasts. Kyra turns to look at herself in the mirror, pulling her hair into a simple ponytail, brushing a few stray bangs from her face. She runs her finger down the three long scars on her cheek that had begun to fade to nothing. Selena gets up circling her arms around her waist, their eyes meeting in the mirror.

"You're beautiful." Selena's lips brush her ear. Kyra turns in her embrace sliding her arms around Selena's neck and kissing her. Selena pulls Kyra's body closer as the kiss deepens Kyra's tongue meeting hers, a soft whimper escaping Kyra's lips. There's a knock at the door, and Sofie opens it just enough to put her head in.

"You ready mommy?" Their lips part as they both look at the door and their daughter, Kyra nods.

"In a moment sweetheart." Sofie rolls her eyes as she shuts the door and Kyra turns back to Selena looking into her bright green eyes.

"I better go while she's still willing, I'll back back soon ok?" Kyra sits on the bed pulling on her shoes, she picks up her wedding ring from her bedside table and slides it on her finger. She pauses to kiss Selena once more before Sofie yells for her to hurry from upstairs.

"I'm coming!" She yells back before Selena smiles and pecks her lips again swatting Kyra on the ass as she walks by, making her jump and laugh looking back at Selena over her shoulder. Kyra swings open their bedroom doors and hurries up the stairs to the ground floor of their home. Sofie and Kyra walk outside, Kyra blinking in the bright sunlight as she closes the door behind them.

Raven Rock was quiet this morning, quiet enough for her to hear the ocean lapping the shore a few hundred yards away. The sky was a rare crystal blue, and off in the distance she could see Red Mountain's column of ash rising into the clouds. She walks alongside Sofie, walking past the trader Fethis who tosses her an apple.

"Good morning Kyra." He calls after her as she smiles and waves biting into the apple as they walk along the shore through Raven Rock towards the Temple. Glover Mallory waves at them from his forge.

"You coming back this way?" He puts down his hammer and leans on the railing bordering his work area. They stop and Sofie blows the air from her lungs.

"Yeah I just have to see Cindiri first, you're the very next on my list." She smiles and slaps his bicep, turning to continue on their way.

"Good luck with that, nice talking to you Sofie." He adds after them with a chuckle.

"Be nice to Glover huh? He's a good man." Kyra offers Sofie some of her apple which she declines as they walk past one of the guards who bids them good morning. They take the steps to the Temple where a group of children were already gathering waiting for Elder Othreloth to let them in for the day's lessons.

"You don't have to wait with me." Sofie looks up at her, Kyra nods looking around and spies Cindiri walking out of the council chambers.

"All right, have a good day I'll see you this afternoon. Remember what I said Elder Othreloth can teach you a lot, he deserves your respect and attention." She ruffles Sofie's hair kissing the top of her head and calls after Cindiri to wait a moment.

"Hey, so what's going on?" Kyra falls into step with the Dark Elf as they walk down the steps of the Temple.

"It's about time, come with me there's something I want you to see." She follows Cindiri across the small square and into one of the buildings housing the Redoran Guard. Kyra pushes the door closed behind them as they take the stairs into the lower levels.

"Last night one of the watchmen brought in a man he found in the field outside the wall. Half naked and half out of his mind apparantly." They come to a set of doors with two guards on either side, Cindiri nods to them and they open them. Kyra follows her inside where a man sat in one of the half dozen cells tied to a chair.

The man's head lolls a little as if in a stupor but when he looks up at Kyra his eyes snap open, clear and full of hate. He strains against his bonds, snapping and growling.

"Deceiver! Every word from her mouth is lies!" He screams at them as he gnashes his teeth struggling to break free.

"Her lies take root in the hearts of men and lead them astray! He will expose the lies in their hearts by ripping out yours! Deceiver!"

"Me?" Kyra looks at him as his eyes bore into her.

"The true Dragonborn comes. He comes for you Deceiver! You are nothing but a shadow of true power! A shadow of Him!" He screams at them as the guards step into the room behind them, Kyra's eyes widen.

"How do you know that name?" She asks, wrapping her fingers around the bars of the cell door unable to hide the uneasy wavering in her voice.

"Deceiver! Deceiver! Deceiver!" He yells as loud as he can staring at Kyra, who stares back at him in stunned silence as the guards back them out of the room and shut the doors once again.

"The true Dragonborn? Perhaps you should explain yourself." Kyra leans against the wall and shakes her head.

"I don't know who he's talking about but there can't be another Dragonborn, not while I'm standing here." Cindiri cocks her head at her.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm the Dragonborn. The last Dragonborn." Kyra looks back at the doors to the cells as the man continues to scream obscenities at her.

"Or so I was told."


	2. Waking Nightmare

"Kyra! Stop!" Kyra throws open the door leading back into the street, she whirls on her heel.

"I have to go to work." She lies as Cindiri shuts the door behind her waving off an approaching guard.

"As if Glover cares whether you're late. You need to start explaining yourself." Kyra looks around and folds her arms across her chest taking a large step forward, closer to Cindiri.

"I was the Dragonborn. Hear the past tense? Now I'm just me. Hello, nice to meet you I'm Kyra, I have a wife of six years and a little girl that I adore!" Kyra ignores the stares of the passersby as she raises her voice to the Council member.

"I don't spend my days killing monsters in old tombs and fighting dragons!" Kyra exhales and looks at Cindiri, lowering her voice to a more respectful tone.

"I've. Moved. On. You should too." She turns on her heel again and storms off, her dress gently blowing in the breeze.

Kyra doesn't look at Glover as she stomps into his forge and picks up her apron from the hook. She picks up a mallet and the nearest hot piece of metal from the Forge and slaps it on the anvil in a shower of sparks as she mutters to herself. Her loose bangs fall across her face as she strikes the hot metal.

Her muttering and cursing intensifies in sync with her hammer strikes as she flips the metal and is soon banging repeatedly on the metal until Glover grabs her hands and she looks up at him panting from exertion.

"Give me those. Is something wrong?" Kyra blows the strands of hair from her face looking up at him and shakes her head.

"No."

"Clearly. That's why you can't be trusted with the tools." He drops her hammer onto the workbench.

"Glover, you like me just the way I am right?"

"Of course, why?"

"So if I told you that a long time ago before we'd even met I was something or even someone else entirely..?" Glover looks thoughtful for a moment before he shrugs.

"Well no ones perfect right? I wouldn't care, we all have our pasts." Kyra smiles.

"Thanks."

"You sure everything's all right?"

"Yeah, yeah. Seriously. And give me back my hammer." Kyra takes the hammer, turns back to the anvil and pulls another piece of metal from the forge.

Kyra inserts her key and opens the door to her home. The smell of dinner was already filling the halls. She drops her gloves on the table by the door and locks up behind herself.

She walks around the staircase leading down into the rest of the house and peeks over the railing for any signs of life. Finding none, she circles around to the pot by the fire and leans over opening it.

"No sampling before dinner." Kyra looks up as Selena trots up the stairs onto the landing, wearing nothing but a long shirt. Selena comes up and hugs her before sliding her hands over Kyra's hips pulling her into a soft kiss.

"Mmm, only if I get to sample you instead." Kyra pecks her wife's lips again.

"I missed you, thought you said you were coming straight home." Kyra rests her forehead against Selena's as their fingers interlace.

"I know I just-it's been a long day." Selena looks into Kyra's eyes stroking her cheek.

"Aww, poor thing. I know how to make you feel better." Selena leans in and kisses Kyra softly.

Kyra resists for a moment before whimpering softly and giving in. Their tongues meet briefly before they slowly pull apart. Selena looks into Kyra's eyes for a moment before she kisses her forehead, wiping the tear sliding down Kyra's cheek.

"What happened out there, my love?"

"Fate came knocking. Going to read." Kyra breaks their embrace and walks around the stairwell wiping her eyes as she disappears down the stairs.

It takes Selena a while to get Sofie to bed, she enters their bedroom closing the door quietly behind her. Kyra was already asleep, on her side facing away from her, the blanket pulled up almost over her head.

Selena crawls into bed with her and rests looking up at the ceiling. After a few moments Kyra rolls over and slides into Selena's arms, moving closer against her as Selena plays with Kyra's hair.

"What's going on Kyra?"

"I don't know, Cindiri has some crazy guy screaming about the Dragonborn."

"There's a name I haven't heard in a long time."

"Yeah, he flipped out when he saw me."

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I exploded on her and stormed off, I'm going to have to apologize in the morning. Just really spooked me."

"I would be too. Come here." Selena leans up pulling Kyra's lips to her as she slides onto Kyra's lap, Kyra laughing as their lips meet again, rolling Selena under her and sliding up her body.

Kyra rolls over in bed and her arm falls into the empty place where Selena usually was, that extra moment of her arm falling through the air and hitting nothing makes her eyes snap open.

"Baby?" Kyra mumbles sleepily, when she gets no reply she sits up rubbing her eyes, looking around their bedroom.

"Selena?" She cocks her head at the open bedroom door and slides out of bed pulling on a shirt carelessly dropped on the floor. She folds her arms across her chest as she shuffles barefoot out of the bedroom, glancing at her daughters bedroom door which was still shut.

She pads up the stairs and examines the front door, unlocked. She pulls it open and pokes her head out into the cold night air. Someone grabs her hand and pulls her the rest of the way out, closing the door behind her.

"Hey-" Selena puts a finger to her lips as she points.

In front of their house was a large group of the towns people all walking as if in a trance, towards the Earth Stone just outside of the town. The stone glowed in the moonlight as people they knew quite well walked by them without acknowledging them. Kyra breaks away from Selena and walks down to the path.

"Glover? Glover it's me, where are you going?" Glover doesn't stop his slow shambling along with the group as they march towards the Earth stone.

"It is here, His shrine is here." They all say in unison.

Glover is pushed passed her along with the rest of the townsfolk, and Kyra is left standing looking puzzled.

"Kyra!" A Dumner in bonemold armor separates himself from the group walking up the path towards her house. Kyra walks a couple of steps down the path to meet him cursing when she steps on something sharp.

"Neloth. What is going on?"

"I don't know, but you seem to be unaffected."

"Yeah, Selena too."

"Neloth. It's like a campfire tale out here." Selena walks up to the wizard brushing her hair from her face as it whips in the gentle wind.

"Odd, yet intriguing, I've questioned several others who were unaffected. Most said they were rousted from sleep by slamming doors or beds without spouses, and as far as I can tell the children remain unaffected as well." Kyra grabs Selena's arm as she turns towards her.

"Did you check on Sofie?"

"She's fast asleep." Kyra blows the air from her lungs as she looks at the people walking by.

"Well I think the best we can do is wait this out and question them when they return to their senses." Neloth folds his arms across his barrel chest and rubs his chin thoughtfully. Kyra nods in agreement as she looks at the glowing stone, thinking of the crazed mans words to her.

"You can wait inside with us, Neloth." Kyra turns and pushes open the door again.

"That's very kind of you."

'I'll um-I'll make some tea." Selena walks past her with Neloth in tow and heads inside.

Kyra takes one last look at the townspeople before bolting the door behind her.


	3. Dawn

"And you're both Breton, Andris that fellow up the road, his wife is an Imperial she was unaffected as well."

"Actually Neloth I'm an Imperial..." Selena smiles awkwardly as she takes another sip of her tea her head resting in her hand, one elbow on the table.

"Intriguing."

"If you say so." Selena sees Kyra coming up the stairs, and almost vaults from her chair closing the gap between them meeting her at the top of the stairs.

"Sweetheart, you know I love your friends but..."

"It's ok Sel, he's coming with me. Neloth come on I'm tired of waiting, let's go check out the Earth stone." Neloth nods and follows her as Kyra hugs Selena and exits the house.

The pair walk down the path and hang a right from her house going up the shore beyond the walls, onto the small path leading up to the Stone. Neloth waves his hand in front of one of the men who holds a pick axe and strikes the Earth Stone. Several people were building a platform of some kind around the perimeter of the Stone.

"They are clearly building something..." Kyra drops her hands at her sides and looks at him.

"What?"

"It's just- "They're clearly building something", you're so useful mighty Telvanni Wizard." Neloth chuckles as she walks up to Glover Mallory, he strikes the Earth stone with what she recognized as the half broken pick axe from his cellar, on the barrel beside the old mead casks.

"You should talk, can you even cast a spell anymore? Oh, or when's the last time you swung a sword?"

"Don't make me hurt you old man." Kyra warns her old friend gesturing with her finger as she looks up at Glover and then smacks him in the arm.

"Hey."

"Glover." She slowly reaches up and pokes his cheek with her index finger, then drops her hands to her hips.

"That pick axe is going to explode in your face you know. I know this because you've asked me eleven times to strike a new head for it." Kyra makes a face when he does not reply. She looks up at the glowing stone as he strikes it, then looks back at the big Breton.

"Your brother's cuter than you." She takes a step back, her eyebrow arching when he still does not respond.

"I really thought that one would work. I guess Mallory is more thick headed than I originally thought." Neloth says as he approaches and looks up at the big blacksmith.

"Oh, that's not fair or funny." Neloth chuckles to himself.

"I thought it was rather funny."

"He can't defend himself, fetcher."

"Why did you bring me along, for someone to abuse?"

"That, and you were annoying my wife." They both kneel, examining a dark goo that had begun bubbling up in the loose dirt from beneath the stone.

"Selena loves me, and why not? She is wise for her age." Neloth straightens folding his arms in a huff.

"She finds you funny, Neloth."

"Just not enduringly so?"

"Indeed."

"Impetuous child."

"I missed you." Kyra smiles as she bumps her shoulder into his, brushing her hands off she steps back looking up at the symbols beginning to glow on the Stone in the moonlight.

"Here we toil." They all say in sudden unison. Kyra arches her eyebrow quizzically as she looks at Neloth.

"Now we're getting somewhere..."

"By night we toil, to reclaim what was ours."

"Night? It's almost dawn. What are they talking about?"

"They speak of Miraak." Neloth and Kyra turn as a tall blonde woman walks up the path wearing Nordic armor with intricately carved patterns. Neloth looks at Kyra then shakes his head.

"This cannot be possible. Not while Kyra is alive, standing here."

"Who is Kyra?"

"Who are you?" Kyra asks stepping forward.

"She's Frea of the Skaal, I've traded with her on several occasions. Am I to assume this is happening in the Village as well?"

"Our entranced have begun corrupting the Wind Stone, while some along with the citizens of Raven Rock have began excavating Miraak's temple." Neloth shakes his head from side to side.

"What?" Kyra looks at Neloth quizzically.

"No, I refuse to believe that Miraak returns. There can only be one Dragonborn and she's standing right here. Not even dieing, let alone dead, Miraak cannot enter this world with another Dragonborn already present."

"What?" She asks again.

"He hasn't, but he is harnessing power to gather his followers."

"Perhaps but-"

"If I have to say what one more time I'm going to hurt someone." Kyra interjects.

"This is a rather long tale, it is best we adjourn indoors." Kyra sighs and gestures towards her home, the trio walk up the path lit by the fading moonlight to Severin Manor.

Kyra closes the door behind her, and points to several chairs just off the kitchen.

"I'd invite you to someplace more comfortable downstairs, but my family isn't outside mumbling and holding pick axes." Kyra picks up a bottle of Cyrodiilic brandy from the table and three cups.

Kyra pops the top off and pours sliding the cups across the table as Frea and Neloth take seats. She drops into a chair of her own and takes a sip from her drink.

"All right Neloth, speak." Kyra looks at him as she kicks her boots onto the table.

"Miraak. Ok Miraak is, well he's the first of your kind. That we know of anyways."

"Dragonborn."

"She's the Dragonborn?" Kyra fixes Frea with her bright blue eyes.

"Of course she is, keep up. So, yes, well no there was no actual word for what he was until well, St. Alessia I'd imagine, and the Septims of course."

"With you so far." Kyra tips the cup to her lips again.

"In the time when men served dragons-" Kyra chuckles to herself.

"Sorry, continue."

"Yes, well when the Dragons enslaved men Miraak was one of the Dragon Priests, and leader of the Cult of Dragons. Now at some point, he began to seek out the teachings of Hermaeus Mora. It was also around this time that the Dragon War had begun, and Miraak was sought out and Hakon One Eye pleaded with him to defeat Alduin and Miraak refused." Kyra sits up in her seat.

"He refused to fight."

"Yes."

"In Skaal we call him "the Traitor"-"

"Yes, but only because back then the Skaal served the Dragons and when he turned on his masters he was considered a traitor."

"Well yes but-"

"It was wrong of the Skaal to be serving the Dragons in the first place!"

"All right all right, I get it ok? Shut up and drink." Kyra takes a big gulp from her brandy and looks at the two them as she reaches for the bottle again.

"Master Neloth, Master Neloth!" A voice grows louder before a Dunmer, Kyra recognizes as Neloth's apprentice Talvas, bursts through the door.

"Talvas, my kid's asleep." Kyra gets to her feet gesturing for him to lower his voice.

"Now what is it?" She asks looking out of the open door, as he bends over trying to catch his breath.

"The people they've come out of their trance as the sun rises, but Master Neloth-"

"What is it boy, spit it out."

"Dragon." Kyra shoves past him and bolts through her door.

"Someone should go after her." Neloth says as he jumps from his chair. Frea takes a moment to down the last of her brandy.

"Someone should get her a sword."


	4. Back in the Saddle

The roar of the dragon fills the air as fire bursts from its mouth. The citizens of Raven Rock flee in terror as it flaps its mighty wings and buzzes the village, showering the shoreline with flames.

Screams suddenly break the once utterly silent air of the dawn coming as Kyra forces her way through the throngs of people all trying to go in the opposite direction.

She blinks in the coming sunlight as she looks up at the sky eyes searching for the dragon. The hairs on the back of her neck stand up as she sees it, flapping its way around for another pass at the villagers. Her blue eyes begin to glow with ethereal flames, her heart quickening in her chest.

The dragon wasn't like one she had seen before, it's jaw looked almost deformed, it had no scales and was a pale blue not the almost proud bronze and bold colors of others of its species.

The beast flies overhead so close she ducks as it breaths fire across the rooftops before banking and coming back her way again. Kyra looks around for a weapon as it spots her and flaps its wings gaining speed.

She looks back up at the dragon, and bites her lip, looking around frantically as it grows ever closer its shadow overtaking her and blotting out the sun.

"Joor Zah!" She reacts almost instinctually the words exploding from her mouth forming into energy moments after leaving her lips.

A blue irredescent wave strikes the dragon and tendrils begins to form around its body and wings as it rolls in mid air, unable to maintain flight. The dragon plummets into the ground gouging a long trail as it hits and slides, kicking up a cloud of dust and dirt along with it. The dragon roars struggling to break free of the Dragonrend's hold on it.

"Kyra!" She looks up as she approaches the dragon. Selena was bounding down the path from their home something clutched in her hand.

Selena unbuckles the belt from the scabbard and sends Kyra's Skyforged blade spinning through the air towards them. She looks up putting her hand up to catch it but the dragon breaks free of the Dragonrend and swipes it away with his tale, raising its long neck into the air and bringing its eyes down to bear on Kyra.

Kyra's meets his gaze for a moment before she lets her eyes flick to where her sword had come to rest, looking back up at the dragon. The dragon rises onto legs and stomps the ground, leaning its head closer to the ground and roaring loudly enough for Kyra's ears to pop and her hair to whip around her face.

Kyra feigns right but goes left as the dragon stomps his big talons where she would've been, she throws herself under the dragon's front left leg and stumbles to her feet mistepping and skidding on her chest, her fingers barely managing to wrap around the scabbard.

She rolls to her feet and pivots around facing the dragon as she yanks the blade from its scabbard rolling it in her wrist the blade singing as it slices through the air. The dragon turns and rears back looosing a torrent of fire her way forcing her to throw herself sideways landing in a pool of muddy water.

She pushes herself to her feet as she tries to duck the dragons swiping claws but they catch her and she gets launched into the air and tossed several feet away landing on her ass, her sword barely missing her own thigh. She winces as she looks down at the bloody claws marks in her side and pushes herself to her feet once again. Didn't this used to be easier?

The dragon approaches her, the ground shaking with each step until it collapses again roaring in pain when lightning begins to arc across it's entire body. Kyra looks over her shoulder at Neloth who stands just off to her right the lightning exploding from his palms.

She doesnt waste any time as she sprints towards the dragon, the dragon lashing out with its claw as she gets too close. Kyra falls back and blows the hair from her face.

She stumbles to her feet as she swings herself onto its long neck, struggling to hold on as it tries to throw her off.

"Hit it again!" She yells as loud as she can as the dragon bucks and she almost loses her grip.

Lightning strikes the dragon again, this time shocking her along with it. She grits her teeth as it arcs across her body and sets every nerve ending on fire. She growls as she forces her limbs to work pushing herself to her feet and flipping her sword in her palm.

Gripping the handle in both hands she thrusts the blade down into the dragon. She grunts in pain as she puts her shoulder to the pommel on the hilt and pushes forcing it even deeper into the dragon's skull. The Serpentine Dragon gives one more bellow before it collapses onto the ground, dead.

Kyra rolls off of it and stumbles as her muscles refuse to work, taking a couple steps forward before she was sure of herself, she leans over putting her hands on her knees panting.

Straightening to her full height, the flames in her eyes begin to fade as she coughs still panting from exertion, and brushes herself off, turning in place as the energy of the dragon's soul begins to circle around it as it burns.

Kyra found herself almost craving that sensation again of taking on the dragon's essence, it was her most natural state of being and she had forgotten what it felt like. The energy arcs towards her but stops as if being warded off and changes direction as a masked figure begins to emerge from a portal.

Miraak approaches the dragon as the energy from the soul begins to move to him, he extends his hand and a bolt of lightning forces her to her hands and knees.

"It takes a strong will for Man to take a dragon's soul. There is strength in the souls, Dragonborn, but you could never be stronger than me." He looks at her for a moment as the soul absorbs completely, the portal opens once again and he steps through it, disappearing into thin air.

Kyra winces as she pushes herself to her feet, holding her hand to her bleeding side, as Selena, Neloth and Frea run up to her.

"Baby are you ok?" She looks at the wound as Kyra shrugs her away walking over to the dragon and wraps her hand around the hilt of her sword. Putting her foot to it she yanks the blade out of the bone and stoops picking up the scabbard from the puddle it came to rest in.

"I'm fine." Kyra finally replies as she walks back up to the group and takes the belt from Selena, hooking the scabbard onto it and belting it around her waist, loose and hung low her hand naturally coming to rest on the pommel where it had so many times before.

"He took that dragon's soul." Neloth looks at her as Kyra squints in the bright sunlight, putting her hand over her eyes like a visor she nods, looking at the dragon then back at Neloth.

"Yep."

"What now?" They all look at one another then look at Kyra.

"Well I don't know about you guys, but my daughter has her lessons at the Temple in an hour." She brushes past them without meeting their eyes as she walks back up the path to her house leaving the dragon skeleton in her wake. Everyone turns to watch her as she walks by, slamming her front door behind her.

Kyra drops the sword onto the hook by the fireplace where it had come to rest seven years ago, and would rest there for seven more if she had anything to say about it. She ignores the pain in her side as she walks down the stairs and opens Sofie's door.

"Sofie, get up time for lessons." She shuts it again and walks into her bedroom throwing open the double doors to the small room off to the left they used for clothes and such. Opening a cabinet she hauls a chest out from within and tips the lid up pulling a leather knapsack from inside.

Kyra flips back the top of the knapsack rummaging through its contents until she finds a small red potion bottle and pops the cork off with her thumb. Tipping it up to her lips she gulps the sour liquid and tries to ignore the pins and needles and itching sensations that comes alongside the healing of her wound.

"Kyra?" She looks over her shoulder as Selena stands in the doorway, Kyra shoves the lid closed and kicks the chest back into the cabinet shutting the cabinet door with a slam. She doesn't turn as she rests her hands on the table, lifting one to wipe her mouth.

"Kyra, Neloth wants to see you."

"I don't want to see Neloth."

"Kyra..."

"No, Sel. I left that fight a long time ago." Kyra turns in place leaning back against the cabinet and folding her arms across her torn and mud stained shirt.

"Kyra I saw you fight that beast just like the Ash Spawn, you know Neloth always ranted on about your nature, your instincts...I didn't realize what he meant until today."

"That I'm a weapon."

"That you were meant to fight." Kyra looks at her.

"You were! If only you could've seen yourself, it was like- it was like watching the wolf take on the bear. You would think the wolf would lose but then it reminds that it was born a predator, that it was born to win." Selena moves closer, picking at Kyra's fingers until she can pull it away from her other arm, interlacing their fingers. She steps closer and leans in pecking Kyra's lips.

"You were beautiful then, and you were just as beautiful now." Selena looks into Kyra's eyes before she kisses her again a moment longer this time.

Their lips meet once more before Kyra finally returns the kiss. She pulls Selena closer by her shirt, kissing her as their tongues meet, Selena lifting Kyra by the hips onto the cabinet and sliding between her legs.

"Mom?" Their lips part and Kyra rests her forehead against Selena's for a long moment before she looks over Selena's shoulder at the door to the closet.

"Yeah Sof?"

"There's some old man and a really big woman outside your bedroom." Kyra smiles as she rests her head on Selena's shoulder.

"I know honey just- you can hang out on our bed for the time being ok, read a book." Sofie turns and disappears as Kyra slides her arms around Selena's neck and kisses her for another long moment before pulling away.

"Not the one on Selena's side of the bed!"


	5. On the Road Again

Kyra pulls the bedroom doors closed behind her as she walks out into the main foyer. Neloth and Frea rise from the benches surrounding the small stone reflecting pool set into the middle of the spoke wheeled design of the underground second floor of her manor.

"Kyra, please. Miraak's rising is-well it's not good. You're the only one who-" Kyra holds up her hand.

"I'll help, ok?" Neloth exhales in relief as he looks at Kyra, she nods her head over her shoulder and they walk down one of the hallways to the left and into the armory, Kyra pausing to unlock the double doors with a key.

"I do not understand if you're the Dragonborn, who must ask you to help us?" Frea asks as she looks around at the racks and racks of weaponry of all manner and origin.

Armor from Imperial standard issue to, what Frea recognized, as an ancient suit of Dwemer armor hangs on mannequins lining the far wall, bows resting on hooks, and the equipment required to work and tool them.

In the center of the room, lit by the glow of the fireplace, was a lone mannequin on a pedestal. A suit of hand made black armor sat upon it, a long black leather cape spilling down the back with a hood that hid the mannequins feature-less face. A simple steel and wooden shield clutched in its hand bore the emblazoned symbol of a dragon breathing fire, with arrows clutched in its talons.

"Oh, Frea um-Kyra, she is Dragonborn but see Kyra is well.." Kyra opens a cabinet and retrieves several faded yellow rolls of paper.

"Retired." Kyra finishes for him setting the rolls on the table as Frea looks at her.

"Retired?"

"Yes, as in this is not who I am anymore." Kyra presses her finger into Neloth's chest.

"And when this is done, I'm done for good understand? I told you seven years ago and I will tell you again. You people are on your own." She spreads the rolls of parchment out flat weighing them down with a bottle of mead from one end of the long table and an iron dagger from a box of them on the shelf beside it.

"Yes, yes of course I promise." Kyra sets two candles on the table and looks up at Neloth.

"All right Wizard, where do we start?"

Neloth leans over the table in thought for a long moment before he taps his finger on a point a little ways north of his tower, Tel Mithryn.

"We need to find out where Miraak has been. Where's your library?" Kyra points out of the door.

"Go back to the main foyer look to your right, second door to the left of my bedroom doors, end of the hall." Neloth disappears as Kyra looks at the mark on the hand made map, Nchardak.

She looks at the symbol beside the name, a Dwemer ruin. Kyra pops the top off the bottle of mead she was using for a paper weight and takes a pull from it offering some to Frea, leaning back down over the map of the island resting on her forearms.

"So how exactly do Dragonborn retire?" Frea asks before she tilts up the bottle and takes several large gulps.

"Everything you ever loved is dead or is in danger of ending up that way. You make some gold, you kill a few people then you run... and you never look back." Kyra states simply as she looks up from the map at Frea, her blue eyes flickering in the candlelight.

She takes the mead bottle back from Frea as Frea looks at her without a word. She turns up the bottle taking a long swig before slapping the bottle back down onto the table.

"Your collection is simply exquisite." Neloth looks up from the book he was flipping through as he sets three more down on the table. Kyra looks up at him her head resting in her hand, her elbow propped on the work table.

"You're going to be in there all the time now aren't you?"

"Hmm? Oh right yes how clever of you, if only you had this kind of taste in literature. I assume your lovely wife bought them?" Neloth flips through several more pages as Kyra rolls her eyes and looks at Frea, raising the bottle of mead.

"He's right though, she did." Kyra tips the bottle to her lips and takes another pull from it. Neloth slaps the book closed in his hand and looks up.

"Ok." He takes a swig from the bottle of mead that Kyra offers him and looks at her.

"When Miraak began to explore the teachings of Hermaeus Mora, another Dragon Priest named Vohlak-"

"The Jailor." Frea adds as she takes the bottle from him.

"Yes, yes, now Vohlak was still loyal to the dragons so upon learning of Miraak's treachery he sought to defeat him."

"It is said that this was how the island of Solstheim came to be, the battle between Miraak and Vohlak was so powerful that it ripped the land from Skyrim itself."

"So the Skaal say, either way just as Vohlak was about to defeat Miraak Hermaeus Mora took him from this realm and into Apocrypha, where he has believed to have been ever since."

"Ok so what does all this have to do with Nchardak?" Kyra asks pointing to the spot he indicated on the map.

"That, my dear, is where I found a Black Book that I believe should contain the answers we need, but it is locked with a complex steam lock that no longer functions."

"Well that I can probably help with but what's in this Black Book that will help us?"

"Knowledge."

"Knowledge? Come on Neloth, is it a spell, a how to guide I mean what's in it?"

"No, child, Knowledge. The Black Books are artifacts of Daedra magicks, they are tomes of sacred knowledge that only the God of Fate and Knowledge could possess."

"And one of these things is locked away in Nchardak."

"Yes." Kyra furrows her brow for a moment in thought then blows the air from her lungs.

"All right, give me five minutes." Kyra looks at them as they look back at her.

"Get out." She adds pointing to the door, they both turn and exit the room as Kyra crosses the floor and closes the doors behind them, turning and leaning back against them she looks at the armor on the lone pedestal. She exhales as she slowly crosses the floor approaching it.

"Hello again." The armor never replies but it shimmers at her touch a web of eerie grey energy flickers to life for a moment then fades. Kyra steps back a step and pulls her shirt over her head.

Kyra shuts the doors behind her as she hikes the leather knapsack, her shield lashed to it, higher up her armored shoulder turning and locking the armory behind her.

Her boots make a familiar muffled clicking sound as she walks down the hallway. She hadn't heard it in so long it almost annoys her, all the years she'd worn these boots she'd forgotten they even made a sound.

As she walks into the foyer Selena stands by the reflecting pool watching her walk to her, holding her sword belt.

"I've never actually seen you wear this." She runs her hand down the tight and hardened black leather, she smiles looking up into Kyra's blue eyes before their lips meet.

"Hopefully I won't have to wear it for long, I'm only going just beyond Tel Mithryn so I'll be back by nightfall ok?" Kyra kisses her again and takes her sword belting it around her waist.

"Hey." Selena says grabbing Kyra's arm as she walks by her.

"I love you." Kyra smiles and hugs Selena again kissing the top of her head.

'I love you too. Neloth, lead the way."

The snow was just beginning to fall as they come over the hill in sight of the ruin.

"Whoa girl. Neloth, hold up." She says as she swings herself out of the saddle. She takes a knee in the snow as she looks down at the ruin.

"What is it?" Neloth asks as he comes to her side, Kyra extends her arm pointing at an archer atop a higher point of the ruins beyond the bridge across.

"Your ruin is occupied."

"Bandits?" Kyra doesn't acknowledge him as she walks back to her horse and pulls her bow from its place secured to the saddle.

"How badly do you need to get in there Neloth?" She returns to her place on the ridge slinging the quiver over her neck.

"Badly, Kyra, our answer is in that Black Book I am certain of it." Kyra exhales her breath wafting in the cold air.

"All right wait here." Kyra moves around a rock and out of sight moving towards the ruin.


	6. Nchardak

"I'm getting sick of salted horker meat." The bandit looks at his friend as he drops the meat into his bowl and makes a sour face.

"It's the best we'll get for now, eat." A sound whizzes past the bandit's ear as the other makes a small gasping sound.

He looks up as his friend slowly falls back from the rock he sat on, an arrow protruding from his right eye, he jumps to his feet looking around.

Kyra looks down, her back pressed to the cold stone as she seats another arrow and pulls it back. Exhaling she raises the bow and leans around the corner of the pillar she had hidden behind.

Peering over her thumb she releases, the arrow sails through the air and the second bandit falls forward as the arrow buries itself at the base of his skull.

She shoulders the bow and sprints quietly through the camp, past the two corpses now laying dead around their fire. She dashes up the ramp of the ruined tower and ducks as a bandits warhammer smashes into the stone where her head had been, turning her face from the spray of pulverized rock as the bandit struggles to pull his hammer free.

Kyra ducks under his arm turning in place as she pulls the Elven blade from the small of her back. Grabbing his forehead and pulling it back she slits his throat, grabbing the back of his thick chest plate and sidesteps shoving him backwards into the murky water with a loud splash.

She jogs up the second ramp to another crumbling tower and narrowly jumps a small pressure plate before she steps on it.

Edging around the stone wall she looks at the remaining two bandits talking near the entrance to Nchardak. Kyra leans back against the stone wall as she looks around for a moment in thought. She makes a face before she circles around the tower again and licks her lips. She whistles quickly ducking back out of view.

She closes her eyes, drawing her Skyforged blade from its scabbard she listens as the sounds of boots approach. She exhales and steps around the corner bringing her blade up and thrusting it into the first bandits chest plate.

A look of surprise paints his face as she rips the blade out, turning him in place as the second bandit looses an arrow that plunges into the shoulder of her impromptu shield.

She releases the bandit letting him tumble over the side and into the water as she draws the blade from the small of her back and sends it spinning through the air plunging into the remaining bandits throat.

The bandit drops her bow, it clatters to the stone ground as she clutches at the dagger, blood running down her chest.

Kyra sheaths her sword in its scabbard as she calmly walks over to the woman who was still clutching at the dagger in her throat, gasping and gurgling her eyes wide in shock.

"I'm sorry." Kyra takes a knee beside her looking down at the woman, her eyes searching her surroundings for more bandits.

Kyra pries the woman's hand from the handle yanking the dagger out with a sickening sound of tearing flesh, she then cups the woman's jaw and the back of her head, violently twisting until she hears her neck snap.

Kyra holds her there for a long moment until the woman's body goes limp. She wipes the blade on her armored thigh and replaces the dagger in its sheath.

Dusting off her fingerless gloved hands, Kyra hops onto a fallen pillar and puts her middle finger and thumb to her mouth whistling a loud sharp tone that echoes off the stone walls. She drops back down onto the ground and approaches, her eyes wandering up the huge metal doors.

"About time." Kyra looks up as Neloth approaches her crossing the stone platform, stepping over the body of the dead bandit.

"Yeah, I'm a little rusty." Neloth pushes open the double doors and steps into the Reading Room of Nchardak, gesturing for Kyra to follow. She takes one last look around before she steps in, closing the big door behind her.

Neloth crosses the floor as Kyra's gaze wanders the large chamber. Her eyes fall on the glass surface embedded in the stone floor surrounded by a brass ring and approaches it.

She takes a knee looking at the Black Book, sealed in the case just as Neloth described. She runs her fingers over the glass then looking down and around herself, she sees the letters engraved in the brass ring surrounding the case.

Standing up she slowly circles it, mouthing the words in the ancient language.

"Enkagr Bcharn." She finally says aloud as Neloth turns and looks at her.

"I didn't know you can read Dwemeris."

"Well reading and understanding are two very different things. Bcharn could describe some sort of device, but these are the same two words repeating not four seperate phrases, and I have no idea what Enkagr means." She looks up at the focusing crystals mounted near the highest point of the ceiling then looks down at the four surrounding crystals embedded in the floor around the case.

"You know Kyra, you are far more intelligent than I give you credit for."

"Thanks...I think." Kyra smiles to herself as she walks over to the only other set of doors in the room and grunts as she pushes them open with loud and drawn out creeking sound.

"Oh great." She says as she looks down as the single lever in the floor.

"What?"

"Nothing I just hate these things." The pair walk to the center of the large stone circle surrounded by gears and Kyra makes a face as she pulls the lever and the platform begins to descend into the depths of the ruins.

The platform shudders as it hits the bottom of the shaft, and Kyra looks around at the massive cavern.

"Nchardak was among the greatest of the Dwemer cities. It is said they used the massive steam pumps to sink the city into the ocean at will..."

"And it was the seat of the production of their army, producing an automaton every day, not to mention their most extensive research and archive center." Kyra says as she runs her hand over one of the control consoles.

"You know more about this place then you let on." Kyra smirks looking over her shoulder at Neloth.

"I like to let you feel important." She adds, she winks and turns back depressing a control switch to no avail.

"Yes, well, most of the ruins are still flooded so it'll take time but there's another problem." She taps another control before turning and following Neloth to a pair of pedestals with ramps leading down into the water, reaching inside his robes he produces a large cube.

"Now this is-" Kyra takes the cube from his hand.

"A control cube." She tosses it into the air a couple of inches and catches it again.

"Yes, well I think it operates the steam pumps but I can't get them to function." Kyra walks over to the left pedestal as Neloth talks, examining it.

"It should activate this pedestal but you see the mechanism doesn't fit, I thought perhaps this ruin would have cubes meant for these pedestals but I've never-" Kyra reaches back and flips a small lever to its stop, the claw mechanism snapping open.

Kyra drops the cube into the claw and it lights up with a blue hue, gears beginning to whir as the internal mechanics activate. There's a large rumbling sound and the water in front of them begins to drain revealing more of the ramps, then a second platform with four large upright steam pumps.

She looks at Neloth before walking down the wet stone ramp and onto the second platform circling as her eyes wander over the large machines. Kyra runs her hand over the control plates mounted on the front of the pumps then turns looking back up at the platform above her as Neloth comes to her side.

"We're going to need six cubes, four to activate the pumps one to keep the water level down and one to open doors."

"And how will we manage that?"

"Well my friend." Kyra says resting her hand on the wizard's shoulder looking him up and down. His eyes follow hers, a puzzled look coming over his face.

"I hope you weren't planning on staying dry."


	7. Six years ago

16th of Sun's Dawn 4E 203, the Heart's Day.

Kyra grips Glover's shoulder as she laughs, tipping the bottle of mead up to her lips and gulping from it. It was a day of celebration in Raven Rock, all over Tamriel in fact, in honor of the Lovers, Polydor and Eloisa. A pavilion had been erected in the center of town and filled with long rows of joined tables and chairs, light hearted music filled the air.

"Another mead?" Kyra looks up at the voice, her heart begins to pound in her chest and she could feel her cheeks flush.

"I-um- yea, yes! Please, more mead." Kyra stares up into the bright green eyes of the woman, who smiles and produces another bottle from the bag slung across her shoulder, resting on her hip.

Her chestnut hair cascaded down her shoulders in big bouncy curls, her eyes reflecting the torchlight. Glover looks at Kyra then back at the woman and shakes his head, tipping his tankard to his lips.

"Thank you." Kyra manages, the woman smiles as Kyra watches her move on down the table. Glover shakes her on the shoulder, and she snaps back to reality as the festivities continue.

Kyra grabs onto Glover as the song ends and the pair stumble away from the gathered crowd of people dancing, Kyra giggling uncontrollably. Glover puts her arm around him and he carries her over to the railing around the pier, letting her fall onto it.

"Here, stare at the water for a minute I'll back right back." He puts a half empty bottle of ale into her hand as Kyra turns, folding her arms onto the railing and looking down into the moonlit water at the fish swimming in circles, the ships behind her creaking as they bobbed in the water.

"Hello again." Kyra turns at the voice to see the stunning woman she'd meant before. Kyra blushes, brushing some of her bangs behind one ear.

"Hi. Listen, I'm sorry about earlier."

"You mean you can form actual words?" Kyra smiles at the woman.

"Yes, yes I can, whole sentences in fact." This makes her laugh which in turn makes Kyra's smile grow wider.

"I'm Selena, Selena Lex."

"Kyra." The two shake hands as Kyra finds herself getting lost in those green eyes. She realizes she's staring and looks down blushing again and letting out a small, nervous laugh.

"Kyra? You're the one who helped Crescius reopen the mine." Kyra nods as she takes a sip from the ale bottle.

"Wow, I can't tell you how much of an impact that's made, you really saved this place."

"I don't think I had much to do with it really, once the ash stopped falling things were bound to turn around." Kyra looks up at the clear night sky, the stars, and takes another sip from the bottle.

"Well um, I was going to take a walk would you like to come with me?" Selena looks at Kyra biting her lower lip hoping she'd accept, Kyra looks over at Glover chatting up a young Bosmer girl. She sets her bottle down on the pier railing and nods.

"I'd love to." The pair turn and walk past the town square and onto the beach.

The sand was lit by moonlight and the music was just far enough way to be in the background as Kyra walks, her hands clasped behind her back spine ramrod straight, finding herself a little more than nervous unable to just relax.

"So what is it you do?" Selena asks after a long moment of silence.

"Whatever needs doing really, I mostly help Glover in his forge."

"Oh, are you a blacksmith by trade?" Kyra shakes her head.

"It's more of a skill I picked up, back in Skyrim."

"Are you from Skyrim?"

"Not originally no, I had some business there it was some time ago though now." Kyra looks down at her boots as they sink into the soft sand.

"Ah, well I'm from Cyrodiil originally."

"Me too."

"Small world." They smile at one another as Kyra clears her throat and brushes some bangs from her cheek.

"Do you miss it, Cyrodiil I mean?" Kyra asks as they cross onto the pathway leading to the Earth Stone.

"Sometimes, then I remember the shape it was in when I left and I figure whatever I loved about it I took with me."

"You can never go home again." Selena nods.

"Yeah, I guess you can't what about you? Miss your home in Skyrim?" They pause as Kyra looks up at Masser filling the sky.

The moonlight reflecting in her bright blue eyes, she lets them close and smiles bathing in the glow. Selena watches her, Kyra was so beautiful it was becoming hard to breathe.

"Not for a moment."

"What did you do there?" Kyra looks back at Selena and tries to fight the urge to kick herself for the lie she was about to tell.

"Just a merchant, clothes mostly." Her eyes roll up to the sky as she closes them and shakes her head, silently cursing herself.

"You ok?" She snaps back to reality again, flicking her hair back from her cheek and smiling.

"Yeah I'm fine just um, a lot of drinks tonight." They smile at one another as they walk past the Stone to the well tended garden beyond.

"I love this place at night. Draylor Alor really does a beautiful job." Selena says as they walk deeper into the flowers and manicured trees.

Selena's hand slowly, cautiously slides into Kyra's, their fingers interlacing. Selena sighs in relief when Kyra lets her do it, the pair looking at one another, Kyra smiles as they walk running her free hand through the bright flowers.

"There's something about you..." Selena says as they stop, Selena searching Kyra's radiant blue eyes. She hesitates then slowly touches Kyra's cheek, running her finger down the long scars.

"A Troll. I know they stand out, I'm sorry. Usually my hair.." Kyra's voice drifts off as she blushes, embarrassed by them looking down her bangs fall over her scarred cheek, draping across Selena's hand.

"We all have our scars, some are inside some are outside. You're still beautiful." Selena moves closer as Kyra looks into her vivid green eyes and their lips meet.

Kyra's bedroom doors swing open banging on their stops as the pair enter the room.

Their tongues meeting as Selena steps out of her shoes, tilting her neck as Kyra's lips touch it, kissing her way up to Selena's earlobe then taking it between her teeth as Kyra reaches around undoing the knot on the back of Selena's dress.

Selena gasps softly against Kyra's shoulder, her eyes wandering the room. Kyra's home was lavish, Severin Manor was one of the most luxurious homes in Raven Rock, though left mostly in destitute when the Severin sisters disappeared. Her bed was large and above it on a plaque was a sword, an axe, and a bright icy blue shield.

Selena's dress falls from her shoulders and around her feet as their lips meet again, the passion behind those lips was something Selena had never felt before. Kyra wanted her she could tell, her lips were hot, burning hot and those blue eyes almost seemed to smolder and glow as Selena looked into them.

Selena runs her hand down Kyra's sides as she kisses her again their tongues meeting as they back up towards the bed.

"I've never met anyone like you." Selena manages between the meeting of their lips, Kyra's eyes meet hers and she smiles softly.

Selena's legs hit the bed and she tumbles back onto it as Kyra undoes the ties of her dress and shrugs it from her shoulders, letting it fall to the ground as she climbs onto the bed on top of Selena.

Their lips meet once more as Selena tosses her bra away and Kyra's lips almost immediately make their way down her chest. Each brush of Kyra's lips burns like fire before finally taking one of Selena's erect nipples between her lips and sucking on it, Kyra's silky hair spilling off her shoulders and sweeping Selena's skin.

Selena's back arches as she moans out, her fingers sliding through Kyra's sleek dark hair.

Kyra's hand slides down Selena's waist and she pushes her panties down Selena's long smooth bare legs, letting them drop off her ankle onto the floor. Her lips burn a path down Selena's abdomen each one making her muscles flex and relax in her wake, Selena biting her lip and gazing at the ceiling, feeling like she was in a dream.

That first delicate, tentative lick sends Selena's arms sliding over head, her hips rising, her knees falling to the sides as she whimpers spreading and opening herself to Kyra. Kyra's lips slide over her clit as her nimble tongue circles it then her tongue makes its way up her length probing every fold, every wet centimeter.

Selena's fingers slide through Kyra's hair and grip them pulling Kyra closer as she moans out. Kyra spreads her lips with her fingers as she pushes her tongue inside her, making Selena buck against her lips crying out Kyra's name as every muscle in her body tightens.

Her toes curl in the soft sheets as Kyra's thumb probes her clit her tongue making its way in and out of Selena over and over, making her gasp and moan like no else had before. Who was this woman? Selena couldn't keep a thought in her head as her teeth bite into her lower lip and she couldn't stop the loud moan escaping her lips.

"Kyra-god please- don't stop." Selena's hips rise again pressing herself more against Kyra's lips as she looks down at the beautiful woman she barely knew, her tongue so deep inside her now.

Kyra could feel her eyes on her and looks up, in the fading candlelight Selena could see the celestial blue glow coming from those haunting blue eyes. It only served to make Selena desire her more, this exotic and beautiful creature.

Selena's hands slide down her own body and slowly up her thighs as she arches and moans again, unable to keep herself from the shores of ecstasy much longer as Kyra lapped at her wet opening.

Selena's hands wander from her thighs to Kyra's shoulders and the heat radiating from Kyra's skin seared into her fingers as if she touched flames but she didn't care, she didn't care about anything but this incredible feeling never ending.

Kyra's tongue probes her depths as Selena's world becomes nothing but pleasure and sounds, and of emotion a flood of thoughts and desires inexplicable and as fleeting as they were intense. Moans crescendoing into a scream that she bites back behind her lips as she arches and finally lets go.

Panting and whimpering Selena stares up at the ceiling, her heart pounding in her ears, her muscles trembling. Kyra's wet lips find Selena's as Selena hooks her bare leg around Kyra's waist and returns the passionate kiss, unable to form words as their tongues roll over one anothers and she gets lost in it.

They pull apart slowly a soft smile forming over Selena's lips as she gazes up into Kyra's eyes, her fingers touching Kyra's cheek and kissing her again for a long moment.

"Who are you?"


	8. The Black Book

Kyra gasps as her head breaks water and her left hand breaks the surface, a cube gripped in her fingers. Another rumble is heard as the water level rises another few inches, Kyra swims over to the edge of the platform.

She tosses the cube over the edge and reaches up hauling herself out of the water and onto the stone platform rolling onto her back, a puddle of water forming around her as she catches her breath looking up at the ceiling. A loud clanging sound makes her sit up, looking around at the empty chamber.

Seeing nothing she falls back, her water soaked armor making a squishing sound against the stone. Why couldn't she ever go someplace nice? Her head falls to the side as something moving catches her eye.

She sits up again, as a large bronze ball rolls around a pillar towards her, her eyes slowly following it. The ball stops and an automaton rises from the ball, a crossbow attached to its left arm.

Kyra curses as she scrambles to her feet crossbow bolts pounding into the wall where she had been, four more bolts following her as she sprints along it. Another bolt whizzes past her ear as she turns the corner her boot skidding on the wet stone.

She shrugs off her leather pack and pulls her shield from it sliding it over her arm as she tosses the bag against the wall and leans around the corner.

Her eyes widen and she curses again ducking back behind the corner when a crossbow bolt hits the corner she was peeking around and takes a chunk out of it. Raising her shield she turns the corner as a bolt hits it and she charges the sphere guardian. She bashes the upper body with her shield using it to deflect its crossbow away.

Kyra ducks its free hand as it swings at her and she kicks it backwards as she pulls her sword from its scabbard, thrusting it into its bronze chestplate.

The ancient soldier warbles as the sword damages its steam engine and Kyra yanks the dagger from the small of her back and ducks its swinging free arm again before she pries open the chest plate jamming her fist inside and yanking out the soul gem that powers it. The sphere guardian collapses in a heap onto the stone floor as Kyra idly tosses the soul gem into the water.

She puts her boot to the now harmless pile of metal and pulls her sword from it, scooping up her pack and walking back to where she had left the cube. Kneeling in the puddle of water and picking it up, she walks back to the door leading to the main steam pumps and control room.

Still dripping wet, Kyra plods up the stairs and approaches the central platform looking down at the four boilers as she tosses Neloth down the last cube.

"Last one, put it on the control plate and let's get this show on the road."

"Since when did I become your servant?" Neloth mutters as he drops the last cube into the claw.

"Since I did all the swimming." Kyra turns on her heel walks back up to the central chamber near the lift they came from, and looks down at the long control panel.

Her lips move silently with her thoughts as she moves down the long console until she finds the key set she was looking for. Neloth approaches her as she flicks her hair to one side and depresses the switch, looking sideways down the platform at the towering steam pumps as they hiss to life.

"Good, let's hope that did it." The pair walk back to the lift, and Kyra kicks the lever back to its original position with her boot.

"It worked."

The lift grinds to a halt making Kyra wince, these ancient lifts always brought on a little trepidation. As they approach, the glass guarding the book slides apart with a snap and the platform the book rests on springs up to waist height.

"You did it Kyra, I can't believe you did it." Neloth claps her on the shoulder as he picks up the book, hesitating to open it.

"You better give that to me Neloth." He looks down at the book, if he had to be honest the book scared him, he reluctantly hands it over to her.

"You're right of course, well...be careful and uh, say hello to Hermaeus Mora for me." She gives him a look as she flips the eerie black book in her hand and exhales, opening it to the first page.

Dark tentacles burst from the pages making her cry out in surprise, dropping the book. The tentacles whip through the air growing in length and number, one circles around Kyra's wrists as she tries to step back and draw her sword.

One of the thicker tentacles wrap around her throat as she grits her teeth struggling to free herself, letting out one last cry of defiance before the tentacles flex and drag her into the book, disappearing before Neloth's eyes.


	9. A Deal with the Devil

Kyra's vision was blurry and the entire floor felt like it was spinning as she puts one hand onto the ground, then another, then her knees taking movement one step at a time. She pulls one knee under her and then puts her hand on it pushing herself to her feet as she looks around at the ghastly and eerie realm.

Pages of parchment whip in a foul smelling wind around her and pages of parchment seemed to make up the ground she stood on, she snatches one out of the air as it whirls past her face.

"-or at least quiet my complaints of using bedrolls to sleep on the stone floors, but I don't like the precedent this establishes. I was hoping we would move back to New Sheoth before his birthday celebration next month." Kyra reads aloud as she cocks her head quizzically at the page.

"Welcome to Apocrypha." A sickening, sloppy voice seems to come from all around her as Kyra turns in place drawing her sword. Seeing nothing, she turns back around looking back down at the page in her off hand and lets it go, whipping away in the wind.

"All who seek knowledge end up here...sooner or later."

Kyra turns in place again then slowly looks up as giant green void appears like a gaping wound in the sky. She slowly steps back as countless tentacles and then a giant singular eye begin to emerge from the tear, her own eyes widening.

"You...are the other Dragonborn. Good, good, you've finally come to seek a way to succeed Miraak as my servant. To learn how to bend the world to your will." Kyra sheaths her sword, not a natural act for her but she didn't see how a sword was going to help her.

"I came only to find a way to defeat Miraak. I have no interest in serving Demons, or their petty desires for power and control."

More tentacles erupt from the wound and begin to flail more vigorously as the eye moves closer out of the tear towards her, still several hundred or even a thousand feet above her head, it makes her step back a few more steps.

"You will serve me whether you wish to or not, all those who seek knowledge serve me I am Hermaeus Mora. I will give you the knowledge you seek..." Kyra folds her arms across her chest.

"At what price?" Hermaeus Mora chuckles, a slovenly, ick-ridden and oozy chuckle.

"You are wiser than your years, Dragonborn, you know of how the Gods conduct their affairs. Very well...I desire knowledge for knowledge. Bring me the secrets of the Skaal."

"The Skaal? What do they have to do with any of this?"

"The Skaal have withheld their secrets from me for far too long now, the time has come and gone for their knowledge to be added to my library."

"And if they refuse?"

"Miraak would find a way if it was so asked of him. So shall you."

On the ground before her dragon scrawl appears burning with the same eerie green glow that was all around her. She kneels, her blue eyes searching the words, Gol Hah Dov. She looks up at the eye as it blinks at her.

"Seek out the Skaal Shaman, he is the one who possesses the knowledge I seek."

"I-"

The world begins to swirl and bend around her as she suddenly feels sick, falling to her knees holding her stomach. She looks up as Neloth shakes her, his hand on her shoulder. She blinks and realizes she's back in Nchardak, she swats his hand away.

"What happened? What did you see?" Kyra bites back the nausea and groans, holding her stomach as she slams her free fist against the unyielding stone ground in frustration, spitting the taste of bile rising in her throat from her mouth.

"You were right."

"You mean you met...him?" Neloth asks looking around as if he expected the tentacled monster to appear from the ceiling high above their heads.

"Yeah and he's a real charmer." Neloth helps her to her feet as she tries to regain her composure.

"So the Dwemer were right about the book, what happened?"

"He taught me a shout."

"A shout? You mean a Word of Power." Kyra nods as she rests against the wall and leans over, putting both hands on her knees.

"And what will this shout do?"

"I have no idea but he wanted something in return, the Knowledge of the Skaal."

"The Skaal? What could he possibly want with the perfect way to skin a horker?" Kyra manages a small chuckle as Neloth rests his hand on her shoulder.

"After meeting him I don't think he's particular about what the knowledge is...but let's hope it includes what I'm supposed to do with the knowledge he gave me."

Kyra slings her pack around her shoulders and pulls open the big door leading back out into Solstheim. She blinks in the light snow and wind, the sudden sunlight, and rotates her neck around her shoulders rubbing the tense muscles where they meet.

They step over the corpse of the bandit she killed and cross the platform towards the bridge until Kyra stops, something in the back of her mind tugging at her.

Kyra reacts, she shoves Neloth off of the platform sending him splashing into the freezing waters beyond just as a Dragon dives out of the sky and narrowly misses her as she throws herself to the stone ground. The dragon banks and comes back to her flapping its wings as it slows and lands on the platform.

It rears back its long neck and a stream of flames erupt from its mouth as Kyra brings up her shield and the flames encircle it and burn around her singeing the tips of her bangs, leaving a charred silhouette of her on the wall behind her.

Kyra rolls out of the way and draws her Skyforged blade as she skids under its talons sprinting across the platform and up the metal ramp, ducking into one of the wrecked towers.

With a sweep of its claws the roof of the tower gets ripped off and falls into the ocean. Another one takes a few more feet of stone off the top making her duck as large chunks of stone falls onto her.

Kyra looks around, then at the long metal ramp leading to the next tower. Her eyes fall on the pressure plate she had jumped on her way into Nchardak and ducks again as the dragon climbs onto the stone wall displacing more stones and uses one of its front legs, reaching down into the small space to get her.

Kyra moves, rolling onto the pressure plate as several bronze spears eject from the wall and floor crossing each other as they plunge into the dragons claw. It cries out as it tries to pull its hand free. Kyra curls her fingers over the big bronze head of a Dwemer wall statue and drops it onto the pressure plate holding the spears in place as she takes off, running across the unstable metal ramp to the second tower.

She barely makes it past the walls before a gout of flames fills the space, making her turn her head away against the wave of heat. The dragon roars as it rips its claw free mutilating its hand and it arches its long neck, moving like a snake towards the second tower as it climbs over the first.

Kyra hefts her sword and takes several deep breaths as the shadow of the head begins to move towards her. She raises the sword over her head and when it's snout moves past the entrance of the ruined tower, she brings the sword down in a mighty chop onto the place just above its eyes.

The blade sinks in deep, making the dragon roar flames that stream harmlessly out of the other open entrance to the small tower, blood running down into its eyes.

It shakes its head which throws her back against the wall making her cry out in pain as she crumples to the floor, hitting the warhammer of the bandit she killed still stuck in the wall, on her way down.

Kyra leaps to her feet and puts one boot against the stone wall, gritting her teeth as she yanks hard on the massive Dwarven hammer. It pries loose after another yank and its heavy momentum swings her around, bringing it down onto the top of the dragons skull.

She jumps onto its long nose standing to her full height, she raises it over her head and brings down the hammer again.

The dragon tries to throw her up against the ceiling but she keeps her balance bringing the hammer down again, and again. Each swing making a more disgusting squishing sound than the last, spraying her with blood each time an animal like bellow coming from her lips.

The dragon's head goes limp as she brings up the hammer swings it over her head and brings it down with all her strength, leaving it embedded in the dead dragon's skull.

Kyra stumbles back off of its nose to the stone floor and looks at the beast as she pants, trying to catch her breath. The ethereal blue glow of her eyes beginning to fade with each deep breath, her heart pounding in her ears, blood dripping from her hair and arms, it streaks her face as she drags her sleeve across her forehead.

She picks up her sword from where it had fallen and turns when she hears footsteps approaching her. Neloth stops in his tracks holding up his hands as she points the sword at him. She deftly sheaths her sword and walks past him without a word as he stares at the dead dragon.

He turns watching her as she marches away from him, then turns back to the dragon and shakes his head.


	10. Five years ago

7th of Second Seed, 4E 203

"Everyone into the city square we're closing the gates!" A member of the Redoran guard shouts as he hurries civilians along, driving his sword into one of the shambling Ash Spawns.

Glover swings his forge hammer with all his might, the spawn stumbles, recovers for a moment then falls to the ground.

"Glover!" Selena runs up to him, panting.

"Sel, where's Kyra?"

"Kyra? I-I don't know, why?"

"Just-trust me find her, go! Now!" Glover brings the hammer down onto the spawns head twice more just to make sure it stays down. Selena turns around and runs up the path towards Severin Manor. She tries the handle then starts slapping her hand against the heavy door.

"Kyra! Kyra open the door!"

Kyra shuffles out of the kitchen and rubs one sleepy eye as she yawns and unlocks the door, opening it.

"Mm, good morning." She smiles at Selena until she sees her eyes wide with terror, pushing her way inside shutting the door behind her.

"Sel, what's wong?"

"I don't know there's these things, monsters or I don't- but they're all over town and Glover said to come get you and I-" Kyra whirls on her heel and goes down the stairs, Selena cocking her at her and following a few steps behind.

"Kyra? Where are you going?" Kyra takes a right at the base of the stairs down a hallway Selena had never been down before.

Kyra pushes open the double doors of the armory, Selena stopping in place. She gazes around at the massive collection of weaponry and all manner of armor.

"What th-what is all this?"

Kyra pulls a plain leather chestplate off a mannequin and buckles herself into it, tugging on a pair of boots. A crossbow in one hand, she pulls her Skyforged blade off a hook by the fireplace and brushes past Selena without a word.

Selena stares at the sole set of black armor on a lone mannequin in the center of the room before she turns, chasing after her girlfriend.

Kyra hits the top of the stairs and opens the door. Below her and down the path three people run past being chased by a single ash spawn. Selena stumbles to a stop behind her almost crashing into Kyra as she raises the crossbow in her left hand, leads the monster and then, almost casually, fires it.

The bolt sails through the air and digs itself into the monster's skull with enough force to knock it to the ground, Kyra shoves the crossbow into Selena's hand.

"Reload this." Kyra unsheaths her sword and drops the scabbard onto the ground as she dashes down the path and into the maelstrom in the city square.

Captain Veleth struggles with one of the Spawn monsters, both of its hands clamped on his sword as he struggles to free it. Kyra grips her sword in two hands as she skids in the dirt and swings, the ash spawn's head going tumbling to the ground as the rest of it crumbles into dust.

"It's about time you showed up." Kyra drives her sword into the nearest monster's spine as Captain Veleth backs up against her back. Kyra looks over her shoulder at him and smirks.

"I was making breakfast, duck." Veleth ducks as Kyra swings almost cutting the Spawn in half as it charges them, she pulls her blade back from its midsection and swings again cleanly lopping off its head.

"You need to close the gates."

"I gave the order five minutes ago, I don't know what's happened go hurry them along won't you?" Veleth thrusts out with his sword through a Spawn's chest and out its back, the monster crumbling to dust around his blade.

Kyra ducks under one Ash Spawn's swinging arm and turns on her heel driving her blade into its spine, yanking her blade out as she completes the full circle turn in one sweeping graceful motion kicking off her back foot and sprinting for the Wall.

She jumps one of the dead Redoran guard and bounds up the stairs, cutting a swath through the monsters as they shamble up them, a guard doing the same from the top and they almost slice into each other as they kill the last one. Both of their swords clanging off one another as they sever the head, meeting in the middle.

"Dragonborn!" The Dunmer says as she brushes past him.

"I prefer Kyra, why haven't you closed the gate?"

"Everyone's fighting or dead, I couldn't hold off the beasts long enough to close it myself."

"You should've died trying." Kyra sets her sword on the railing beside her as she grips the crank wheel in both hands, planting her feet and grunting with exertion as she begins turning the heavy wheel. The wheel screeches with each centimeter until it finally clangs to a stop nowhere near its terminus.

"To hell with it." Kyra says as her fist ignites with flames, she extends her arm her open palm facing the taut chain holding the gate up.

A stream of fire erupts from her hand as the guard turns, an Ash Spawn making its way over its fallen to the top of the stairs. The watchman raises his sword over his head and charges it. The chain begins to melt as Kyra extinguishes the flame and picks up her sword, bringing it down in a mighty chop.

The chain snaps and whips away, beneath her she can hear the pulleys spin and hears the gate slamming into the ground with a muffled thud.

Kyra throws herself over the high railing, her bangs flying away from her face as she sails towards the ground and lands half crouched just beyond the main Guardhouse. She turns in place and grabs the nearest monster swinging the Spawn in a full circle, throwing it against the wall and jamming her blade through it.

It was over almost as quickly as it had begun. Kyra wipes her arm across her forehead as she approaches Captain Veleth standing in the city square, the two warriors clasps hands.

"I know when you came here you said we were on our own but thank you Dragonborn." Kyra nods as she looks around, the villagers busy tending to wounded. She sees Glover and Selena near his forge and walks over, Selena had a look on her face. She folds her arms across her chest and looks at Kyra.

"You all right?" She asks, her sword coming to rest on her shoulder looking at them both.

"Just can't resist a good fight can you?" Glover smiles and goes back to cleaning up his tossed workspace.

"Sel?" Selena just shakes her head and storms into Glover's house, Kyra looks at him and he shrugs as she brushes past him chasing after her.

"Sel, wait up!" Kyra shuts the doors behind her.

"Selena what's wrong?" Selena turns on her making Kyra stop in mid step.

"What's wrong? Just a simple clothing merchant, that ring a bell?!"

"Selena.."

"No, don't "Selena.." me, you lied to me!"

"Yes, I lied to you."

"About a lot of things."

"No not about a lot of things just the one thing."

"Oh really?" Selena gestures at the mirror on the wall and Kyra looks at it, her eyes still glowing she blinks and looks at Sel.

"Selena, I'm not who I said I was that's all."

"Who are you then? You're not a merchant not the way you fight."

"I'm...well I'm- I was something else."

"Kyra, I swear you better tell me the truth right now or..." Tears well up in Selena's eyes at the very thought of leaving, she loved Kyra, almost as much as she loved her daughter she loved this woman. Kyra sighs and sits down at Glover's table dropping her sword onto it in a huff, it clatters onto the table.

"I'm Dragonborn." Selena rolls her eyes to the ceiling.

"Kyra I'm from Cyrodiil, I know better, the Dragonborn died out years ago with the rest of the Septims. Stop lying to me!"

"I'm not! I'm not that kind of Dragonborn, it's a long story."

"I've got time." Selena sits down across the table and looks at her.

"It's not easy to explain ok? I'm Dragonborn, the Last Dragonborn. Not Dragonblood or whatever anyone else has claimed to be."

"What does that mean?"

"It means..." Kyra sighs as she kicks her boots up onto the corner of the table, leaning back in her chair.

"I don't even know what it means anymore, it used to mean something. When the world needed saving from Alduin but now it-"

"That was you?" Kyra nods.

"That was me."

"Why didn't you tell me all this before?"

"Because I'm...retired."

"Retired?"

"You have to understand it's just not who I wanted to be anymore. A lot happened to me, to people I cared about, and I did a lot of terrible things I just wanted to put it behind me." Kyra gets up and circles the table climbing onto Selena's lap.

Selena reluctantly slides her arms around Kyra's waist and looks up at her. Kyra brushes some bangs from her cheek behind one ear as she leans down and kisses her girlfriend's soft lips. When they part she brushes the tears from her eyes her fingers, gently sweeping Selena's soft skin.

"I love you, Selena. I kept it from you because I just-I wanted this to be about you and me, not you and the Last Dragonborn. It's followed me everywhere I go and for once I just wanted to be a person. Forgive me?" Selena bites her lips for a moment before leaning up and kissing Kyra again, resting her forehead against hers.

"I forgive you."


	11. The Deal

"These are going to hurt for awhile." Selena tightens the cloth wrapping around Kyra's ribs as she lets her arms fall back around her sides.

"I'll be ok." Kyra winces as she shrugs one shoulder, pain shooting up her side. She lets her eyes close and tilts her head when Selena's lips touch her neck.

"I'm glad you're ok, you had me so worried running out of here like that." Kyra reaches up and squeezes Selena's hand as they rest on her bare shoulders.

"Me too, and I'm sorry it won't happen again baby I promise." Kyra turns her head enough for their lips to meet.

The kiss deepens as she slides her arms around Selena's neck, Selena lays back pulling Kyra on top of her Kyra's hair tumbling off one shoulder and spills down across Selena's cheek. Kyra pulls away groaning in frustration when there's a knock at the door, she clutches her bruised ribs as she sits up and ruffles her now loose dark hair. She pulls her shirt on with one hand and tosses her hair from it as she calls out to the door.

"Yes?" The door opens and Neloth stops just inside looking at the pair, Kyra still resting on Selena's lap Selena propped up on one elbow looking at him.

"Forgive me but Kyra, Frea's here." Kyra blows the air from her lungs as she swings off of Selena's lap and gets to her feet.

"Thanks Neloth, tell her I'll be right there." Neloth nods and pulls the door shut again behind him. Selena crawls on her hands and knees to the edge of the bed and sits back on her legs brushing her chestnut bangs behind one ear, looking up at Kyra. Kyra leans down and kisses her again.

"I'll try to make this quick." Selena nods biting her lip as Kyra walks out of their bedroom. Selena can still taste her wife's lips and sighs as she falls back on the bed her arms splayed out around her, blowing the air from her lungs.

Kyra shuts the bedroom door behind her, Frea and Neloth rise from one of the benches around the small pool int he center of the floor.

"Why have I been summoned here?" Frea looks at the Dragonborn, at the bruises forming on her face, her bare legs.

"I'm afraid I have dragged your people into this conflict between Miraak and I."

"We were already involved..."

"Not as much as you're about to be, I need a meeting with your Shaman." Frea looks at Neloth who doesn't say anything.

"Why?"

"I've promised your people's secrets to Hermaeus Mora in return for the knowledge to defeat Miraak."

"You what?!"

"I know, ok? I did what I had to do to get what I needed, I promise to smooth this over with the Shaman as best I can, and we will work together to figure a way out of this for your people." Frea looks at for a long moment, and Kyra was sure she was going to hit her.

"All right, very well but the Shaman is my father and he will not be so easily swayed."

"When can we meet?"

"Now."

"Give me ten minutes."

"We should leave now..."

"We can't I have to go do some smoothing of my own at the moment."

"I don't understand." Kyra smirks.

"You will when you're married." She turns on her bare heel and walks back into the bedroom.

Kyra's boots crunch in the snow as she, Neloth and Frea make their way up the steep hill to the Skaal Village.

"Now remember the Skaal are a proud people, everything is all about heritage and the All-Maker with them."

"The All-Maker?"

"The ancient god of the Nords worshipped now, as far as I know, only by the Skaal. It's about oneness with nature and such, I've often speculated that it is in fact Anu they worship. The tales describe the opposition of the All-Maker as simply the Adversary and it bears a striking resemblance to Pad..o...may."

"I would rather you didn't go on about your personal views to my father." They stop as they come into the village.

Bodies lay strewn everywhere, smoke still rose from one of the burned homes. Kyra turns over one of the bodies, taking a knee as she examines it. Neloth looks around as people dragged bodies away from the center of the village, awnings smashed possessions strewn everywhere.

"What happened?" He asks as Kyra looks at the brutal marks left behind then up at him, turning the body back over to the way she found it pushing herself to her feet.

"Lurkers. A while ago too, most of the fires have burned out. Frea when did you leave?"

"Less than six hours ago now."

"Who knew you were coming?"

"Well, everyone saw me leave..."

"Why here?" Neloth looks at Kyra, who shrugs.

"I don't know but if the Lurkers came here..." Kyra's eyes search the ground as she connects the dots, turns on her heel and takes off.

"Kyra, wait! What about the-" Neloth's voice drifts off as he watches her sprint out of sight, then turns back to the devastation.


	12. Unleashed

By the time she got to Raven Rock, she had slowed to a jog. Her heart pounded in her ears, her chest burned and her legs ached. She jogs through the open gate and slows as she looks around at people carrying their dead away. Captain Veleth sat on the temple steps, a cloth pressed to his bleeding forehead.

"Kyra..I-we.." Kyra doesn't stop as she brushes past him and makes her way through the square. Glover's forge was a smoking cinder his house's roof caved in and one wall fell.

Kyra walks up the path to her house and through the open door. Sofie sat at the kitchen table, the manor was a mess everything that could be broken was, and everything was tossed and in disarray. Kyra stops at the top of the stairs.

"Sofie where's your mom?" Her voice didn't feel like her own, she didn't feel like she was really here.

"Downstairs with Glover." Kyra slowly takes the steps down and each click of her boots seems to echo off the wall, a bloody axe rests at the base of the stairs.

Glover sat on one of the benches surrounding the small pool in the center of the lower floor, Selena rested draped across the bench her head on his lap, running his fingers through her hair. Kyra lets her pack drop from her shoulders onto the ground as she slowly walks up.

"Glover?" She asks cautiously as Glover slowly looks up at her.

Glover doesn't say anything just shakes his head.

Kyra moves closer, her knees felt like they would give out from under her. She looks down at Selena, her green eyes were empty, still wide in fear. Kyra finally falls to her knees as she looks down at her.

"I'm so sorry Kyra."

"What happened?"

"There wasn't anythi-I swear I tried-"

"What happened?!" Kyra voice grows louder, and colder.

"Lurkers, they just- they came and suddenly everything was...chaos. I tried to defend the Forge and one knocked me down, by the time I woke up it was all over and she was-she was..."

"Go take Sofie out of here."

"Kyra I-"

"Go!" Glover slowly moves out from under her, getting up he looks at Kyra as she kneels looking down at her wife then slowly walks up the stairs.

"I-" Kyra's words fail her as tears fall from her cheeks. She sniffs and wipes them away, managing a small laugh as she looks up at the ceiling.

"I knew this would happen...you were always going to die...because I loved you." Kyra moves onto the bench and rests Selena's head in her lap.

"I did you know, I loved you so much. You were the first person who ever let me just be...me. No pretense, no expectations just...me." She brushes some of the hair from her cheek and looks up at the ceiling again, shaking her head. Kyra leans down and kisses her cold lips, she brushes her tears from Selena's lips.

A dark and resolute look comes over Kyra's face as she slides out from under Selena's body and walks down the hall to the armory. She sniffs and wipes her eyes as she throws open the doors, they slam against their hinges with enough force for one door's hinge to snap and hang awkwardly on its second hinge until it creaks and gives way, the door falling to the ground.

"Hermaeus wants secrets?" Kyra mutters as she picks up a shimmering golden bow from a hook and slams it down onto the table.

"Miraak wants to rule Solstheim?" She walks over to a shelf with an inlaid safe and unlocks it, reaching in she retrieves a black quiver, in it were five black arrows she slaps the quiver down beside the bow.

"Let's see how badly they really want it." Kyra throws open several cabinets as she stuffs various items into her pack, slinging it onto her shoulders as she steps over the fallen door and out of the armory.

Neloth looks up as he hears her approaching, he sits on the bench next to Selena's body his head in his hands.

"Kyra I-"

Kyra doesn't say anything as she walks past him, turning on him when he grabs her arm to stop her. Neloth releases her arm when their eyes meet, Kyra's were full of hate and rage, glowing, and ethereal blue flames flickered and burned in the irises of her eyes.

"Whatever you're thinking about doing..." Kyra shoves past him. Neloth looks down at Selena's body as he hears the door slam behind her.

When she first came to Raven Rock he had done the research, read the stories. The Dragonborn was not of this realm born with the blood and soul of the dragons. Dov Ah Kiin in the oldest stories, the Dragon Hunter Child, the apex of the dragon slayer. A shiver of fear runs down his spine as he remembers the bard songs of legend and story: Beware...the Dragonborn comes.

Kyra marches up the path to the Earth Stone, walking past Glover and Sofie without looking at them.

"Fus Ro Dah!" The words explode from her lips as the wave of devastating energy expands before her and impacts the Earth Stone.

The Stone cracks at one of the deepest carvings corrupting it near the base, toppling back the now broken Stone lands in the dirt with a loud thud a cloud of dust kicking up around it.

Kyra climbs the platform the entranced villagers had built around it and shrugs her pack from her shoulders. The villagers begin to gather around her as Kyra picks up the now glowing bow, seating one of the black arrows. She raises the bow towards the shining sun, drawing the arrow back.

She releases, the Bloodcursed arrow sailing into the sky before it disappears.

A loud boom of thunder rolls across the sky as the sky begins to bleed black and the sun swirls red as blood. The world around the villagers darkens as they gasp looking up at the sky and the Dragonborn as tears stream from her glowing eyes, in the darkness they stood out like torches in shadows.

Kyra's chest heaves as she balls her fist at her sides and screams at the sky. A roaring animal like scream, it was as if it was her voice and another behind it mixed within it, something deeper...dark and monstrous. It seems to echo across the hills and sea, making the villagers all begin to back away. Thunder rolls across the sky again and lightning cracks as the wind begins to pick up.

"Miraak!" Kyra screams, the name seems to fill the air as the wind whips Kyra's hair about her face, tears still running down her cheeks.

Kyra kneels and flips open the top of her pack, pulling the thick Black Book from it as Neloth climbs the platform Kyra rises to her feet.

"Kyra! Look at what you're doing, think of what you're about to do!" Kyra draws her sword as she clutches the book against her chest, shouting back at him over the wind.

"No! I loved her! We were supposed to be together forever!" Neloth looks at the woman, taking a cautious step forward his hands raised.

"I know you did, but Kyra this- none of this will bring her back!" Kyra steps forward pressing the razor point of the blade into Neloth's chest, making him wince.

"I don't care!" Lightning arcs across the sky and several bolts strike the ground around the platform. Below them at the base of the broken Stone the pool of black goo begins to bubble and a Lurker emerges the goo exploding around him.

"Iiz Slen Nus!" The shout erupts in a wave of iridescent blue energy that encircles the roaring Lurker as he freezes into a massive chunk of ice, falling down into the goo with a splash. Kyra's frightening and tear stained blue eyes fall back onto Neloth, who stares down at the Lurker his mouth agape.

"Kyra, this is going too far! Look around you, you're out of control!"

"Step back Neloth..." Kyra opens the book in one hand as she looks down at it.

"The eyes, once bleached by falling stars of-"

"Kyra, don't!" Neloth tries to step forward as she begins reading from Waking Dreams.

"I said stay back! -by falling stars of utmost revelation, will forever see this faint insight drawn by the overwhelming question, as only the True Enquiry shapes the edge of thought..." Neloth stares at the woman, barely audible over the howling wind and thunder.

"Kyra, this is not the way!" Kyra presses her sword further into his chest, just enough to make him step back as she glares at him.

"Unless you want your life to come to a sudden and unspectacular end Neloth, you'll step back!" Kyra looks back down at the book as it begins to ooze black goo.

"The rest is but vulgar fiction, attempts to impose order on the consensus mantling of an uncaring godhead." Kyra drops the book as dark green tentacles spew from it. They encircle her wrists and begin to curl up her legs, a dark smile coming across her lips.

"Ready or not, here I come." Neloth watches Kyra as one wraps around her throat and drags her into Apocrypha.

"Dammit, Kyra."


	13. Bound, Now and Forever

9th of Frostfall, 4E 203

Kyra rests her hands on her waist, pacing the wooden platform back and forth she stops when Glover rests his hand on her shoulder.

"Nervous?" Kyra glares at him.

"No. Why? Do I look nervous?" He leans behind the pillar he was propped against, taking a bottle of brandy from the floor and shakes it at her. Kyra snatches it and turns it up, taking a long gulp.

"Yes. Relax, I doubt after three months of planning she would just take off, although I guess everyone gets cold feet..." Kyra whirls on her heel looking at him, wide eyed.

"Why would you even suggest that?!" Glover chuckles as Elder Othreloth approaches them clearing his throat.

"Is someone a bit nervous?"

"No..." Kyra manages a small smile as she looks at the elder Dunmer.

The music begins to play and Glover and Kyra both turn as Selena walks into view at the base of the temple stairs, lifting her dress up a little as she climbs them. She smiles and waves at some of their friends as she walks down the aisle between the pews.

"I'm going to be sick." Kyra says as she leans over and blows the air from her lungs, Glover forces her back upright and leans in.

"You're going to be fine, that's an order." Kyra nods then looks puzzled.

"You don't outrank me...in anything. You can't even win at cards."

"No, but I'm your boss."

"What are you going to do? Fire me from a job I work for free?"

"I-"

"Shut up." Kyra cuts him off as she shoves him back to his place straightening her dress, hurriedly running her fingers through her bangs as she watches Selena walk to the altar.

Selena smiles as she takes Kyra's hands, her green eyes sparkling biting her lip in that way Kyra loved so much.

"You look beautiful." Kyra says squeezing Selena's hands.

"So do you."

"I have joined many happy couples in matrimony, and I've always said the words "the blushing bride..." but never have I meant it literally, you are both red as ash yams."

Selena and Kyra both laugh, not breaking their gaze into one another's eyes.

"Selena, Kyra, I have known you both for some time now. You have changed this town, you've changed its people, and now you embark on a journey that will change you both, let us begin." Selena bounces in place a little as she smiles biting her lip again, tears welling up in her eyes as she looks at Kyra. Selena couldn't believe she was standing here.

"We gather here today, under Mara's loving gaze, to bear witness to the union of these two souls in eternal companionship. May they journey forth together in this life and the next, in prosperity and poverty, and in joy and hardship. Do you Kyra agree to be bound to Selena, together, in love, now and forever?" Elder Othreloth looks at Kyra as she nods looking back into Selena's eyes.

"I do, now and forever."

"And do you Selena, agree to be bound to Kyra in love, now and forever?"

"I do, now and forever." Tears begin to fall from Selena's eyes as she tries to contain herself.

"Then by the grace of Mara, I bind your two hearts, your two souls, your two lives into one. You may kiss the bride."

Their lips meet in earnest, in unabashed eagerness. Stepping closer to one another as their tongues meet, their fingers interlacing. Their friends, almost the entire town, stand clapping as they turn still holding hands.

Sofie runs up to them and Kyra kneels lifting the little girl up into her arms and taking Selena's hand as the couple make their way out of the Temple and into the city square for their reception.

"Think she'll be ok?" Selena looks up from the bag as she stuffs another set of clothes into it.

"Baby, she'll be fine it's just for the week."

"Yeah, a week with Glover Mallory. What is she going to do get in on the weekly card game at the Netch, maybe join the Guild if she finds the time?"

"No...Glover's not in the Thieves Guild anymore." Selena narrows her eyes at Kyra as Kyra smiles, circling around the bed to her.

"She's going to drive him crazy, go to her lessons at the Temple, come back to drive him crazy until the next morning." Kyra slides her arms around Selena's waist from behind and kisses her neck where it meets her shoulders.

"Mm, I guess that's what he gets for letting us make him her guardian." Kyra lips drift up her neck to her earlobe as Selena's eyes close and she smiles, her hands sliding over Kyra's resting on her stomach.

"Babe.." Selena giggles as Kyra playfully bites her earlobe.

"Mm, baby come on there'll plenty of time for that we'll miss our boat."

They both pick up their bags and lock up behind them as they walk down the path from the manor towards Glover's forge and the docks.

"Mommie!" Sofie runs up to Selena who kneels and sweeps the little girl up in her arms and hugs her tight.

"You good here Glover?" Kyra asks, as he takes her bag and slings it onto his shoulder.

"Yeah, me and the little ash hopper will be fine, won't we?" He ruffles the girl's hair as they all walk past his forge to the ship bound for Solitude. Kyra helps Selena onto the boat and takes her bag from Glover.

"Say goodbye to Kyra, Sof." Kyra takes her from Selena's arms and bounces her on her hip.

"Oh, you are getting heavy. You be good for Glover ok?" She sets her down on the dock and kisses the top of her head, thanking Glover once more. Selena waves to her daughter as she continues talking with the Captain of the ship.

"Don't hurry back huh?" Glover says clapping his hand down on Kyra's shoulder.

"A week alone in Solitude? We may never come back." Glover chuckles as he waves to Selena and joins Sofie on the dock.

The boat weighs anchor and the sails flap open as the boat slowly moves out of the harbor and into the open sea.


	14. When Titans Clash

18th of Rain's Hand, 4E 209

Kyra rises to her feet as she looks around at the realm she found herself in once again. She crosses the parchment laden platform and takes the stairs two at a time as the gates atop it creek open ahead of her.

Two Lurkers turn and roar when they see her marching up onto the second platform.

She doesn't stop as her gloved hands begin to glow with a darkened red hue. She clenches her fists and throws them apart. The Lurkers go flying in opposite directions landing in the lake of black goo on either side.

Several Seekers float around in the adjoining corridor and Kyra doesn't stop her relentless march as she draws her sword and the Ebony war axe from her belt.

Kyra charges them as they begin to hurl their shrieking sound attacks her direction. She thrusts her blade into the gnarly teeth filled mouth of the first as she hurls the war axe at the second nearest, withdrawing her sword she whirls on her heel and slices the creature in half.

Leaping the distance between the Seeker and the second she lands half crouched, yanking her axe from the second Seeker.

Dropping her sword she pulls the crossbow from her thigh and the Dragonbone bolt ejects, sailing through the air it kills a third beast as she reloads and shoves the weapon back into the handmade sheath strapped to her thigh, stooping to retrieve her lost weapon.

Ducking the swing of the skeleton like arm of the Seeker that swings at her she grabs its slimy hand and brings her sword down slicing the arm off, the creature howls in pain as she brings up the war axe and embeds it in its skull.

Withdrawing the axe she pivots around the creature thrusts her sword through it's back midsection and twists the blade, the creature turning to goo around it.

Kyra completes the graceful spin as she turns the corner, black goo of the Seekers dripping from her hair as she makes her way down the walkway, leaving the shimmering puddled corpses in her wake.

The eerie dark tunnel opens back up to a massive stone platform as her blue eyes slowly wander it. She feels a familiar tingling in the back of her mind and her eyes slowly find their way up to the flowing black and green sky as a dragon circles overhead. A smirk makes its way to the corner of her mouth.

"Joor Zah Frul!" The shout rolls into a wave of blue energy as it leaves her lips and encircles the dragon.

The dragon tries to fight the Dragonrend as its wings become useless and it falls out of the sky, hitting the platform with a violent impact that makes the ground shudder beneath her feet.

Kyra rests her Skyforged blade on her shoulder as she marches up to the dragon.

"What power is this, Dovahkiin?" Kyra looks up at him, the exhalation from his snout blows her bangs away from her face.

"Take me to him." The dragon gives her a bemused chuckle.

"That is bold of you, boziik. The tales of you are true, brit arhk faasnu." Kyra moves closer to the beast, her blue eyes beginning to glow.

"Take me to your master now. Gahvon dov uv hin fent mondak bahi." Kyra hisses at him as he stares back at her. The dragon slowly extends its long neck.

Kyra hauls herself onto the big dragon as it flaps its wings and they lift into the air.

The platform the dragon flies her over wasn't as big as she thought it would be.

Sweeping arches and towering obelisks dotted the space a large pool black goo in the center. The dragon circles ever lower and when she finds herself several feet above the ground she rolls off of the dragon's neck and lands half crouched onto the stone floor.

Miraak turns from the living Word Wall he stood examining, a dozen languages scrolling across it at rapid pace.

"Kyra."

"Miraak." Miraak looks up at the dragon who brought her circling overhead.

"You tamed one of my servants. Hermaeus Mora has taught you the Knowledge he once taught me." Kyra folds her arms across her armored chest.

"I'm just very persuasive." Miraak chuckles to himself.

"I'm sure you are." Miraak slowly circles away from the Wall, towards the center of the platform.

Kyra's eyes slowly follow him before she flips the metal loop from the crossbow on her thigh and levels it, ejecting the fresh bolt. Miraak appears to shimmer as the bolt sails through him without harming him.

"I'm afraid you're going to have to be better than that."

Miraak reaches behind him for his staff, spinning it as he points it at the ground at her feet. Kyra's armored hand begins to glow a deep red hue again as the staff flies from Miraak's hands and into her own.

Her fist ignites in flames as the wooden staff is engulfed and disintegrates into ashes, drifting to the stone ground at her feet.

"You're going to have to do better than that." Kyra says with a cocky smirk curling at the corner of her mouth.

"Let's dispense with the pleasantries." Miraak draws his sword, Kyra doing the same.

"Let's."

"Ven Gaar!" The shout erupts from Miraak as a small cyclone sweeps Kyra up launching her through the air and slams her into one of the stone obelisks. She slides down it to the ground, wincing at the pain that shoots down her side.

Miraak approaches her his hands sparking as lightning erupts from them. Kyra throws her hands out in front of her, the shimmering energy of a ward appearing before her.

The lightning impacts the wall of magicka and Kyra grits her teeth as she tries to keep it up, pushing herself to her feet.

The ward fails, the lightning strikes her throwing her back against the obelisk falling to one knee she picks up her sword, rising to her feet in time to parry Miraak's first swing.

Kyra plants her boot against his chest and shoves him back as she spins away from the obelisk, Miraak's sword striking thin air and stone in a shower of sparks.

Miraak turns on his heel and lashes out at Kyra, Kyra parrying thrust after thrust their swords clanging off one another.

Miraak was a blur as her blue eyes flick back and forth wildly trying to anticipate him. Their swords lock as they come nose to nose, Kyra growling as she tries to keep Miraak from overpowering her.

"Fus-"

"Ro!" They each complete the shout at the same time the words exploding from their lips and blowing each other back.

Kyra flips through the air and hits the stone platform hard, hearing her collarbone break with an audible snap as she skids and rolls to stop.

They both lay there for a moment, Kyra rolling onto her side groaning in pain. From across the platform she could hear Miraak laughing.

"Hermaeus is laughing at us you know." Kyra slowly pushes herself to her feet.

"So stop this game." She spits blood onto the stone.

"I cannot. I'm done being Hermaeus Mora's pawn." Miraak raises his arms into the air.

"Aarre aav ini arhk krii faal Dovahkiin!" Kyra turns her eyes towards the skies as three dragons circle overhead then bank and swoop down to the ground, flapping their wings as they land.

"You cannot hope to defeat us all, Dragonborn. You are mighty, but alone, fate has decreed your time has come."

"Who says I'm alone? Dur Neh Viir!" A portal opens up in the expanse between the two warriors as a luminescent blue and green dragon claws his way out of the portal and launches himself into the air. The other dragons take off, giving chase.

"Impressive."

"Oh, you haven't even seen impressive yet." Kyra whips her sword around her, the honed blade singing as it slices through the air and she charges him.

He brings up his sword to deflect Kyra's sword as they sing off one another, she brings her sword around for another strike. The flurry of thrusts, swings, and parries beginning again as they fight for an opening in the other's defense. Their blades clashing, scraping slowly down almost to their hilts as they stare into one another's eyes.

"The Greybeards taught you well."

"The Greybeards abandoned me a long time ago." Kyra pulls the elven dagger from the sheath belted along the small of her back and thrusts it between Miraak's ribs, making Miraak stumble back. Kyra pivots around and extends her sword in a devastating slice that Miraak barely manages to duck away from.

Kyra twirls the dagger between her fingers and flips it in her palm, sending it flying at Miraak's mask. His sword comes up and deflects the spinning blade, blood flowing freely from his side.

Miraak's hands ignite with flame and erupt from his palms in a gout of fire. Kyra brings up another ward, dropping her sword, the flames circling around her and the barrier. The flames intensify making her turn her face away as she struggles to keep up the draining effort of the warding spell. Miraak slowly steps closer as Kyra grits her teeth, beginning to feel the heat as the barrier glows with it.

Miraak moves close enough to thrust with his sword, it bites into Kyra's side making her cry out, the ward failing and falling to her knees. He brings up his sword in both hands over his head.

Kyra brings her blade up to deflect Miraak's sword, Miraak brings the sword down in a mighty chop that fractures the Skyforged steel near the hilt trying to push herself to her feet. He swings his sword around in a full circle and down over his head as Kyra falls back to one knee again, her blade snapping in two.

The pieces of Kyra's Skyforged blade clatter to the ground as Kyra looks down at the sword she had fought with for so long. Miraak laughs as she picks up the severed pieces letting them fall from her fingers as she looks back up at Miraak.

"You're an admirable foe Kyra but you cannot defeat a god! Though I would've thought the death of your beloved would have given you more motivation..." Kyra's eyes darken as she slowly pulls one knee under her, pushing herself to her feet.

"You think you're a god?" Kyra's voice grows colder, an otherworldly tone behind it like two voices meeting as one. Kyra looks down at her palms and clenches her gloved fists, a pulsating vein beginning to stand out on her forehead.

The air around them seems to boil as it kicks up like a whirlwind around Kyra, dust rolling as her boots ignite in flames. The flames swirl up her legs enveloping her body and the air around her with a blast of hot air that whips her bangs back away from her face, her blue eyes begin to glow a blue so intense they were almost white.

The flames circle down her arms and envelop her clenched fists as Miraak stares at her. Kyra looks down at herself turning her flaming hands over examining them before those haunting eyes slowly make their way up to his, hidden behind his mask.

"Let's test that theory." She swings at Miraak who weaves and she narrowly misses bringing her left up for another blow, the flames sizzling through the air.

The wild swings of Kyra's fists force Miraak on the defensive as he steps backwards staring into Kyra's white hot eyes, glowing bright in her raw anger. He steps back towards the pool of goo in the center of the platform as he drops his sword, Kyra forcing him to use his hands to deflect her fierce flaming swings.

He ducks as Kyra's right hook goes wide the sounds of flames whipping over his head as he rises and grabs her arm as it passes his face. Pulling her sideways he snaps the arm at the elbow, making Kyra cry out in pain.

She pivots planting her foot inside his right foot and twists, lashing out with her elbow to his mask. She sweeps his foot out as her elbow digs into his jaw making him stumble back, nearly losing his footing.

Kyra whips her body around bringing her foot up, connecting with his jaw she knocks him back further towards the pool. She closes the gap between them with a few steps and grabs Miraak's robes with her left hand and headbutts him as hard as she can, stars exploding behind her eyes. She swings with her left hand again striking the metal mask, leaving a fist sized dent in it.

She punches him again and again her animal like growl growing harsher with each one until Miraak falls to one knee, disoriented. Kyra grabs a fistful of his robes again in her good hand and hauls him to his feet stepping off her back foot and driving her other into his chest, sending Miraak over the edge and into the pool of bubbling black fluid with a loud splash.

Kyra stares down at the pool as it bubbles and begins to settle, her chest heaving her fists still clenched at her sides. The flames surrounding her body begin to fade and flicker leaving only her smoldering armor behind, smoke curling into the air. Kyra turns her back on the pool and approaches the fallen pieces of her sword, stooping to pick them up.

Miraak pulls himself out of the pool, her back still to him. Miraak picks his blade up and Kyra feels a sharp pain as Miraak thrusts the sword into her back, it goes through her and out her chest before Miraak rips the sword out and she falls to her knees, the pieces of her sword clattering to the ground once again.

"I told you Kyra, you can never defeat me." Kyra looks down at the gaping wound in her chest and falls forward onto one hand. Miraak laughs as he steps on her fingers, making her yelp looking up at him.

"I am the only true Dragonbo-" Kyra pulls her hand free, her other hand circling around the hilt of her broken sword leaping to her feet, shoving the fractured end under Miraak's chin and up, into his skull.

"But you're not the last..." Miraak looks at her eyes wide with horror and surprise. Kyra slowly, methodically, twists the broken blade in a complete circle with a sickening sound as warm blood streams over her hand and down her arm.

"And that was for my wife." She withdraws the broken blade and whirls off her back foot her off leg coming up and connecting, knocking the mask from his face as he falls back into the pool of black goo.

The pool begins to bubble as Miraak rises out of the goo and into the air a long tentacle shoved through his chest. He writhes in agony, a scream emenating from his lips as he begins to spew out a torrent of black liquid then turns into dust. A rush of souls begins to whirl into the air then into Kyra with enough force to make her fall to her knees.

"He served me well..." Hermaeus voice fills the air as Kyra flicks her hair from her face, pulling one knee under her.

"But he is ultimately meaningless as I have found a new Dragonborn to serve me..." Kyra puts one hand on her knee and grunts as she pushes herself to both feet.

"I've told you twice now Hermaeus..." Kyra stumbles over to the mask she beat in and kicked from Miraak's face.

She looks up at the giant eye as it blinks at her, then stomps her boot down onto the dented mask permanently disfiguring it, kicking the mask across the stone ground.

"I don't serve Demons." She walks over picking up the other half of her broken Skyforged blade. She opens her pack and retrieves the Black Book that brought her.

"You will be back, Dragonborn." She opens the book to the first page, then looks up, her strength begins to fade and she stumbles before her legs give out, falling to her black armored knees.

"Don't count on it." Kyra touches the corner of her mouth as blood begins to drip from it, onto the pages, and feels the now familiar sickening sensation as she falls back to her own realm.


	15. Fate

Kyra blinks in the light coughing up blood as she falls forward onto her face. She exhales hearing the blood and fluid gurgling in her lungs as she does, her face resting in the cold snow felt wonderful, she never wanted to move.

She rolls onto her back her arms sprawled out, a pool of blood staining the snow around her as she contemplates bleeding to death.

Why not?

A fitting end for a Doom Driven Hero.

After all...

Dying was what she was born to do.

**I want to thank you all once again for sticking through with me on another installment of the Kyra Chapters. I know it's been hectic a chapter here, a month later four chapters there but fun, I hope it was for you too. In four days Kyra's entire world imploded around her, and cost her almost everything she held dear. Did it cost her life as well? I guess you'll have to stay tuned and see. - KK


End file.
